Fixation of clavicle alone in floating shoulder injury : functional and radiological outcome.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the clinical and radiological results of fixation of clavicle alone in floating shoulder injury. From 2007to 2011 thirteen patients with floating shoulder injury (ipsilateral clavicle and scapular neck fracture ) were treated by isolated fixation of the clavicle by plate osteosynthesis. Assessment of the shoulder function was performed using the university of California at Los Angeles (UCLA) shoulder rating scale .The mean duration of follow up period was 24.3 months .All the fractures were united , fractures of the clavicle united from 11to 16 weeks after surgery and that of scapula from 12to16 weeks . The overall UCLA shoulder rating scale was 32.3 (range from 30-34) . Isolated plate fixation of clavicle fracture in floating shoulder injuries results in high rates of both clavicular and scapular fracture healing provided the integrity of coracocla-vicular ligament and involvement of the coracoids process with the distal scapular fragment .